Visualize ROS topics directly in the terminal using Unicode/ASCII art for quick sensor debugging.
rosshow is a ROS utility that visualizes topic data—like images, point clouds, and sensor readings—as real-time ASCII or Unicode art directly in the terminal. It solves the problem of debugging robot sensors over SSH without needing GUI tools like RViz or complex port setups.
ROS developers and roboticists who need to quickly inspect sensor outputs on headless robots or over remote SSH connections.
It provides immediate, lightweight visual feedback in the terminal, reducing setup time and dependencies compared to launching full visualization suites like RViz.
Visualize ROS topics inside a terminal with Unicode/ASCII art
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Eliminates the need for GUI tools or port forwarding, providing immediate visual feedback when debugging robots over SSH, as emphasized in the README's primary use case.
Works seamlessly with both ROS1 and ROS2, allowing installation in catkin or colcon workspaces, making it versatile for different ROS ecosystems.
Supports Unicode Braille and ASCII-only modes with color overrides (1-bit, 4-bit, 24-bit), ensuring compatibility with various terminals, including those using screen.
Allows rotation, tilting, and zooming on PointCloud2 visualizations using keyboard inputs, enhancing usability for complex data inspection.
Only supports specific message types from std_msgs, sensor_msgs, and nav_msgs, with no built-in extensibility for custom types, restricting its use in projects with proprietary data formats.
NavSatFix visualizations require internet access to fetch OpenStreetMap tiles, which can fail in offline or network-restricted robotic deployments, as noted in the README.
Despite options, rendering may be suboptimal on terminals without proper Unicode or color support, requiring manual overrides and tweaks, which adds setup complexity.